This week’s Photo Friday (#FriFotos) theme is HAPPY PLACES.   In late 2009, Chris and I traveled to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, my favorite Caribbean destination so far.  During our trip, we boarded the Friendship Rose, a 101-ft dual mast schooner for a day of sailing to the Tobago Cays, with the final destination being the Tobago Cays Marine Park, a protected marine life preserve.  The experience of chilling out for a day-long cruise with rum punch and island food, and arriving in a serene setting filled with sea turtles, rays and great coral areas for snorkeling is a HAPPY PLACE for me.

Photo Friday: Tobago Cays Sailing is a post from: Chris Around The World: A Journalist's Travels on the Road

Q: I’m looking to plan out a 5/6 night Caribbean March break for my family (wife, two kids, 19 & 22) during spring break 2012. We’re looking for a rest — w/swimming, snorkeling, boating, etc. And we’re on your basic kids-in-college budget. We’re open to going to a variety of locations, just don’t have much flexibility in dates. Would you have suggestions on what trustworthy sites to look for the best deals?

A: Spring Break for the whole family – sounds great. Will you adopt me?

But seriously, March is high season for the Caribbean, so finding deals is difficult. If you’re on a budget, your best bet is to find an island that’s cheaper overall, such as Jamaica, the Dominican Republic or Mexico’s Riveria Maya, and maximize your options there.

If price isn’t the main consideration, here’s a rule of thumb when it comes to choosing a Caribbean island. Desert islands, such as Aruba, Turks & Caicos, or the Cayman Islands, will have the best beaches and snorkeling, due to the coral. Mountain islands, such as St. Lucia or Dominica, will have better scenery, and hiking options. Off-the-beaten-track islands can provide wonderful vacations – my personal favorite in the Caribbean are the Grenadines - but they can be expensive to get to and most will have fewer lodging and entertainment options.

One thing to consider for spring break 2012: European travelers are feeling the pinch of the Euro crisis, so bookings to the islands that they frequent, such as Martinique, St. Maarten/St. Martin and Curacao, will probably be down. If you think you’ll enjoy an island with a little cultural flair, this may be the year to consider them.

The best way to save money as a family is to rent a house or condo for the week. That way, you can buy your own groceries and drinks, and save money on at least a few meals. The go-to websites for this are HomeAway.com and VRBO.com. If you go this route, make sure you read the reviews that the owners have received from others, and ask lots of questions.

Things to consider: How far is the house from a town? Will we need a car or are bikes sufficient? Is there off-the-beach snorkeling? Does the house come with any equipment, either snorkeling or bikes? I’d also ask about safety precautions, especially in some of the locations that I mentioned above.

In your situation, I’d look first for a place that’s on the beach because you can always rent a car or taxi for the day for excursions or hire a guide. I usually find my guide recommendations from other travelers posting in the forums on Fodors.com or TripAdvisor.com.

I’d also talk to your kids about what they are expecting from the vacation. Are they planning to hit the bars every night? If so, you should reiterate to them that while the Caribbean looks idyllic, many of the islands – especially the cheaper ones – are poor. They should take proper precautions going out at night.

If you do have your heart set on a resort, then a flash site such as Jetsetter.com often has great deals at fantastic properties (It’s a membership only site but don’t worry, you can sign up for free). For more middle-of-the-road options, look at Expedia.com, which tends to have good package options.  Groupon has also gotten into the Flash Sale game; if you go that route, read my tips for getting the most out of coupon sites. I do take TripAdvisor reviews into consideration when I book.

As a foodie, I’m not a huge fan of all-inclusive resorts but for a family, they can be easy on the budget. Just don’t expect fine dining. For some of the bigger chains, such as Sandals, you’ll want to consider a travel agent, as the variety of rooms and price points can be dizzying. Here’s a piece I wrote that has tips on booking all-inclusive trips.

Hope this helps! Enjoy your vacay.

Ask Chris: Booking a Caribbean Spring Break for 2012 is a post from: Chris Around The World: A Journalist's Travels on the Road

Today’s Photo Friday (#FriFotos on Twitter) theme is LUXURY.   In January 2009, Chris and I traveled to the Turks and Caicos island of Providenciales, a much needed break from the cold weather on the US East Coast.

When we arrived, I realized that for $350 per night accommodations, we were in the Provo slums. Not exactly, but we didn’t have a beach front room, most of which cost a minimum of $700 to a few grand per night.  However, our room was a very minor issue, as the beaches were the attraction and the definition of luxury – fine white sand beaches, clear aquamarine water, and loungers and day beds in front of many of the hotels.

Photo Friday: Turks and Caicos Luxury is a post from: Chris Around The World: A Journalist's Travels on the Road

This week’s Photo Friday (#FriFotos) theme is BLUE.  Pictured above is a photo taken at dusk, looking out toward Young Island, St. Vincent, West Indies.

Photo Friday: Blue Dusk over Young Island, St. Vincent is a post from: Chris Around The World: A Journalist's Travels on the Road

Red habanero peppers, from the Caribbean.  Take a bite… I dare you.

Photo taken in a restaurant in St John, US Virgin Islands.

Photo Friday: Caribbean Red Habanero Peppers is a post from: Chris Around The World: A Journalist's Travels on the Road

This week’s Photo Friday (#FriFotos) theme is WATER.  Pictured is a woman looking out over the peaceful water before sunset on the Arabella, a 160 ft. tri-masted tall ship.  The Arabella is part of the Windjammers sailing cruise line, and it sails  New England in the summer, the Mid-Atlantic region in the fall and the Caribbean in the winter.  This picture was taken during our Caribbean cruise in the U.S. Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Island and the Spanish Virgin Islands.

Photo Friday: Sailing on the Water is a post from: Chris Around The World: A Journalist's Travels on the Road

A fire breathing performer entertains the dining crowd at Rhumb Lines restaurant in St. John, US Virgin Islands.

Photo Friday: Fire Breathing Performer is a post from: Chris Around The World: A Journalist's Travels on the Road

This Photo Friday shot is from Dominica, in the Caribbean.  Pictured is the Valley of Desolation, a terrain in drastic contrast to the lush rain forest in the Morne Trois Pitons National Park.  The Valley of Desolation is en-route to the Boiling Lake on an 11 mile hiking trail which traverses the mountains in the park.

Photo Friday: Valley of Desolation in Dominica is a post from: Chris Around The World: A Journalist's Travels on the Road

2010 was full of many wonderful experiences. I rode in a hot air balloon, brunched at Commanders Palace in New Orleans, and mingled with the artistic elite at Art Basel Miami.  But I may remember it as the year that I discovered I could love cruising.

I’m not talking about behemoth ships or Vegas-on-the-Sea scenes such as the Oasis of the Seas. On the contrary, my two different Caribbean cruises took place on sailing schooners, one holding 40 passengers and the other only a mere 12. Both proved to be the most relaxing vacations I’ve ever had.

My trip aboard the Arabella took us to Culebra and Vieques (known as the Spanish Virgin Islands), St. John and St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Jost van Dyke and Norman Island in the British Virgin Islands. With little to do other than snorkel, read and enjoy the sunshine, the days melted into the easy rhythm of the sailing life. The well-organized staff took care of all our needs, and as soon you asked for something, it appeared. My husband came with me on that trip, and more than once we stopped and looked at each other: This is everything a vacation should be.

My trip on the Diamant with Island Windjammers was a little less smooth. In its debut year, the company hadn’t worked out all the kinks yet, and it sometimes showed: A problem with the anchor almost forced us to turn around and the stress coming from the captain felt palpable.  But the intimate ship (only 12 people!) was so gorgeous and our surroundings in the Grenadines so lovely (I defy anyone to find a more perfect place in the Caribbean than Tobago Cay) that it all seemed like a glorious adventure. I came away with new friends and the desire to learn how to sail myself (still unrealized, but you never know….)

So now when people talk about cruising, I no longer wrinkle my nose. I know that there’s an alternative to monster ships that can only dock at the biggest and most commercial ports. Small ship sailing is addictive and I hope to do at least one cruise this year, maybe this time up to Alaska.

Read more about my sailing trips on the Arabella and the Diamant.

What was your best travel experience of 2010? Tell me about it below!

Travels 2010: Best Experience is a post from: Chris Around The World: A Journalist's Travels on the Road

Question: I am interested in going to Provo in June 2011 to take in 6 days of diving and sightseeing. My wife is a shopper and beach/pool person. We would like to stay at Ocean Club West, but would like something a little nicer but not over $1500 per person for the week. Can you recommend something or do you think that the Ocean Club will be more than adequate for our needs? We are not night life people, but like good food and friendly people and a good poolside bar. Thanks.

P.S. Where do the “stars” like to stay? – Bill Minyard

Answer: No doubt about it, your vacation budget doesn’t go too far on Providenciales, the main tourist island in the beachy Turks & Caicos chain. Blessed with perfect sand and turquoise water, Provo has drawn the attention of major luxury chains, including Regent, Amanresorts, and the Gansevoort, as well as numerous luxury resort condo companies.

During the recessionary times of 2009, prices dropped and almost all of the expensive hotels and condo resorts that dot gorgeous Grace Bay were offering value-added packages and free nights.

Apparently something clicked; a local newspaper reported this week that tourist arrivals in the Turks and Caicos Islands increased by 25% for the first half of 2010 compared with the same period last year. The same article points out that occupancy figures among hotels show average increases of 11% for the first half of 2010, due partially to reduced room rates.

Which means that you may have a  good range of options. June is a good month to go, as the crowds fleeing winter weather have died down and it’s early enough in hurricane season to risk a trip (although you might want to get travel insurance, just in case). I’m not sure if your $1,500 per person per week budget is just for lodging or if you want that to include food and tours. In either case, Provo is full of condo options that do help you save some money by having a kitchen in the room (while grocery prices are higher on the island than they are in the US, you can definitely save if you eat a few meals in your room instead of at the island’s restaurants, which lean on the expensive side).

Looking at Kayak, you can get seven nights at the Somerset on Grace Bay, a luxury condo resort with fabulous rooms and grounds, just under your price requirements. The Sands at Grace Bay is a little more expensive than Ocean Club West (about $221 per night), but I liked it better than OCW, primarily because of its restaurant, Hemingway’s, which is set on a romantic beachside pier.

If you are comfortable booking closer to the date, you might want to try LuxuryLink or SkyAuction, two websites that allow you to bid on luxury vacation packages in the Caribbean. I found some great deals on SkyAuction on recent trips to Grenada (make sure to take taxes into account). And click here to get (10% off your first purchase at Luxury Link with code LUX10OFF.

As for the celebs, well, they tend to go a little more private than Grace Bay. Parrot Cay, a resort on its own island in the chain, is a popular destination that draws the A list crowd. And when I was last on the islands in late 2009, Denzel Washington had been among the notable guests at the secluded Amanyara, located on the remote western side of Providenciales. But your $1,500 per person budget may only last one night there!

Been to Turks & Caicos recently and have more advice for Bill? Tell us below in the comments!

Ask Chris: Where to Stay on Turks & Caicos islands? is a post from: Chris Around The World: A Journalist's Travels on the Road